Chapter 9

Shadowlands region, Kashyyyk/ 19 BBY/ 2 hours after Contingency Order: 66

Delta 07 was close to the end of his journey. He could start to see small details that he wouldn't of have seen hours ago. He dug his vibro blade into the tree and used his strength to pull himself up. Using his other hand he climbed even higher. He didn't know what good it would do to look up. It was still too dark to see the sun, but he did anyway. A little farther up he saw, which was at the time, the greatest thing he could ever have seen. The dim, slight glow of what his mentor Walon Vau called the 'Mandalorian T' barely shimmered like a beacon of hope. Second only to the DC-17 blaster, the most important piece of equipment was stuck in between a web of branches.

"Finally something is going my way!" said the breathless Commando out loud. The sight of his beloved helmet made him quicken the pace of his climbing. Sev grabbed a branch that protruded at the level that held his helmet. He climbed onto the large branch and slowly shuffled towards what appeared to be a nest, constructed from a collaboration of sticks and vegetation. Suddenly a furry creature brushed pass his armored leg. Sev's head snapped rapidly to look down. The small creature stared at him with bulbous black eyes from a small, flat pink face surrounded by blue hair. He pressed his small ears up against the Commando's leg and with his small, bare, white fist, knocked on the armored leg.

"Well, look at you," laughed Sev. "You're a curious little fella aren't you?" Sev looked up from the creature and back towards the nest. To his surprise, he saw more of the little monkey-like species known as Tachs. "And it seems you have friends." Sev edged closer towards the nest, stretching for his helmet. The Tachs seemed to be attracted to the shininess of Sev's white helmet with red splatters. Delta squad all had different designs on their white armor. Sev's red design held a gruesome resemblance of blood splatters; even Boss couldn't tell if Sev had actually used paint. Sev reached for the helmet with his cut, gloved hand. One Tach's small gaze traced Sev's hand. As his fingers got closer, it understood his intention and bit Sev with its tiny yet sharp teeth. Sev retracted his hand. "Ow, you little- Ow!" He was interrupted by another attack from another Tach. Like a small furry army, they all swarmed at the large Commando, emitting an annoying chorus of high-pitched yelps. Sev grabbed them two at a time and flung them over the edge, but there were still at least six of them attacking his body. Sev struggled aggressively and lost his balance. Before he fell off of the branch, his fingers wrapped around the rim of his helmet. Keeping Sev from falling once again to the depths of the Shadow lands were the thin sticks that acted as a web, trapping the helmet. But Sev's weight was too much. The branches snapped, freeing the helmet and extremely aggravated Commando. He fell through the air and mist. The Tachs all lost their grip of him and fell to the ground of the Shadow Lands. Sev then slammed on a vast branch. His back streaked with a small amount of pain. He sat up as if he was waking up from a sore nights rest. "Stupid monkeys," grunted Sev. He then slid his helmet back over his head, dreading the possibility of the Tach's ruining its functions. "I swear, if any of those little chizks broke my gear, I'll climb back down there and shoot their shebs off!" he grumbled. His heart skipped a beat. The HUD flickered to life, providing Sev with night vision and all the other goodies all Commandos loved. His only hope was that the communications would work. He keyed his comm.

"This is Delta 07 is anybody there, can you read me?" Static was his only reply. Then he adjusted to the Squad's personal comm. channel.

"Boss, Fixer, Scorch, it's me Sev. Is anybody there?" Again Sev got nothing. "Feirfek," he swore as he cut the comm. According to his topical map, he was less than 150 feet away from the closest Wookiee civilization.